


First for Everything.

by Brookelocks



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Assassins & Hitmen, Friendship, M/M, Swearing, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-03-08
Packaged: 2019-11-14 00:46:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18042239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brookelocks/pseuds/Brookelocks
Summary: Every person learns something when they try something new, for most people these are mundane little things. For Kisame though? First experiences and the lessons he takes from them are part of the way he organizes his life.Kisame is five the first time he picks up a knife.That day Kisame learns that a sharp blade is the most helpful tool one can have.





	First for Everything.

**Author's Note:**

> I have had this sitting in a file forever and then a friend made mention of wanting to read something like this and so I decided to post it. Comments and Kudos are appreciated and I always enjoy constructive criticism. Anyways I hope you enjoy.

**Kisame is five the first time he picks up a knife.**

It’s given to him just before he sits down to have dinner, Kisame joyfully takes the knife from his father, too young to really take note of the way his mother glares at his father. 

“Kisame.” He stares up at his mother, she is frowning but has a soft look in her eyes. “If you intend to keep that you can not have it at the table.”

“Okay.” He says before leaving to go and set it on a counter. 

After dinner she pulls him aside and shows him how to properly sharpen a knife. “Just remember, knives are not toys, they are tools. Keep it sharp, a sharp knife is a safe knife.”

_That day Kisame learns that a sharp blade is the most helpful tool one can have._

 

**At the age of seven Kisame watches someone die for the first time.**

He gets up in the middle of the night because he hears something. Someone grabs him as soon as he opens his bedroom door. The hand that presses against his mouth silences him and makes it hard to breathe, panicking he flails and kicks as the person behind him lifts him off the ground and towards their chest, it's obvious that they intend to stop him from struggling. He bites at the hand and the person jerks back and bumps into the wall. 

That is enough to wake his mother. “Kisame?” Her voice echoes through the previously silent house. Everything goes still for a moment and then somehow he breaks free and stumbles forward. He glances back to see a woman reach out to grab him again, her fingertips brush against his shoulder as he trips and falls to the floor. He gasps at the impact, he can’t bring himself to scream. The sound of his mother's footsteps as she rushes through the house starts to ease the panic.

His mother rounds the corner into the hallway and the sound of a gunshot rings out and Kisame watches the woman slump back against the wall after a few seconds, a hole between her eyes. Terrified he scrambles away from the woman and towards his mother. He wraps himself around her trying to ignore that she just _shot_ someone. “Are you hurt Kisame?” He shakes his head and hides his face in her shoulder as she kneels down to pick him up. “Shh, It will be okay. Come on let's get you back to bed. “ 

He lets her sweep him up in her arms and take him to his parents room. She wraps him up tightly in a blanket and then disappears from his side. He is too scared to ask her where she is going. The house falls silent again but he can’t get the echoes of the gunshot to leave his mind. When his mother gets back she slips under the covers and hugs him to her chest. Hours are spent murmuring soft apologies and trying to assure him everything will be alright. It’s drowned out by the ringing in his ears. 

The knowledge that his mother, her soft smiles and gentle gestures, had been able to _kill_ someone. He tries not to think about how quickly she had pulled the trigger, it still shakes him to the core. Idly he thinks of the woman, she had looked very pretty once his mind saw the events without the cloud of fear. He thinks of her face and how unassuming she looked. That brings the fear back full force.

_That night Kisame finds out that even the most innocent looking people are dangerous._

 

**On his ninth birthday Kisame starts to realize that he will never be normal. Having the last name Hoshigaki means that having a normal life won’t be an option.**

 

**Kisame is eleven when he does his first job.**

It’s a simple messenger job, and he can’t help but grin at the way his father looks proud when he returns. Although he can’t miss the disappointed look his mother gives him. Late that evening he catches part of a conversation he is positive he isn’t supposed to hear. 

“You are overreacting.” 

“Overreacting? Is it wrong for a mother to want her son to be able to have the _option_ to be normal? To get some sort of say instead of just being thrown into this lifestyle the way we were?” 

“Normal isn’t an option you have known that since the beginning. Besides, he seemed fine today. Honestly I think he will do well.” 

Kisame stops listening after that. 

_Kisame decides then that his father's praise just might outweigh his mother's disappointment. He doesn’t know what that says about him, he isn’t sure he wants to know._

 

**He is fourteen the first time he kills someone.**

It was supposed to be a simple job, just delivering something. But as Kisame should have expected things go sideways, he is turning to leave when the barrel of a gun is pressed into his side. He doesn’t hesitate before sweeping the man's feet from under him, turning and slamming a knife into the man’s throat . The gun clatters to the ground and his body makes a dull thud as Kisame lets go of his grip on his shirt. 

He looks down at the slack expression of shock drawn across the man’s face. He doesn’t quite know what to make of it. He wonders if the man was surprised at his speed, or perhaps his lack of hesitation. He can’t help the rush at the knowledge that had he hesitated even a moment, the man could have pulled the trigger.

He is still shaking when he gets home an hour later. He doesn’t know if it is from killing someone or from almost dying. It takes hours for him to calm down but once he does a startling clarity settles over him. 

_The rush that comes from knowing you have someone completely at your mercy is intoxicating._

 

**It’s a month and a half after his first kill that he works with someone not from the family for the first time.**

Kisame can’t quite decide if he likes Fuguki or not. Something seems off about it but he can’t really figure it out. Either way it is strange, working with someone who isn’t directly related to him. The entire mission he looks over his shoulder, tense. Getting home lifts the unsettling feeling in his gut almost instantly. 

_Kisame makes a rule then, trust no one but yourself._

 

**The first time that Kisame kills someone he is working with he is nineteen.**

He is working with Fuguki again, this time they are joined by a bounty hunter. She is soft and quiet and strangely nice to him. The mission should be easy three assassinations over the course of a week, the first assassination goes off without a hitch, then as things tend to do more often than not shit hits the fan. 

Fuguki sells them out, so he kills them both after deciding he can't take the chance and trust her, she is quiet, she doesn’t bother to fight just frowns, “and here I figured we were getting along.” Kisame grants her a quick death. Fuguki seems confused when he sinks a sword into the man's chest, Kisame isn’t gentle when he pulls it back out. He doesn’t feel bad when he leaves the man to bleed out.

Kisame showers so many times in the next few days that he rubs his skin raw. Even after that he still thinks he sees spots of blood covering himself in the mirror. 

_Kisame finds out then that being alone hurts far less than being betrayed. If he doesn't let anyone get close, he won't have to feel bad about killing them._

 

**The first time Kisame encounters a bounty hunter out for him is almost exactly six months after his twenty-second birthday.**

The fight is long and tiring but at the end of it Kisame comes out on top, just like always. He is a little worse for wear, not unusual, ready to sleep for hours, also not unusual, very paranoid, a healthy concern, but overall he is shaken up, that last one is unusual. Nothing has startled him this bad since the first time he watched someone die. He had just been a child then.

He gets back to the apartment he is renting and then takes the next short while to dig a bullet out of his left arm then clean and wrap any and all wounds. Once that is dealt with he spend what feels like hour simply laying on the bathroom floor, the cold tile against his back makes him calm down slightly. The silence gives him room to think; he decides on a few different things, he needs to be more careful now, he needs better gear, he needs to become far less predictable.

_The last thing is that he has made a name for himself. People know who he is, not just as a Hoshigaki, but as someone dangerous enough to have a bounty of his own._

 

**His first day as a member of the ‘Akatsuki’ comes when he is twenty-seven.**

“I’m Obito.” The man pauses and looks over Kisame, his gaze is cold and assessing. “So, you are a part of the team now, don’t kill anyone, its frowned upon. Mission can’t be turned down but we can switch between members if you really don’t want to do it. We have a mansion that acts as a team base, feel free to come and go as you please, you don’t have to actually move in or anything if you don’t want to. And uh Kakuzu is a doctor but between you and me he is about as likely to stab you as he is to stitch you up.” Kisame is a bit surprised by the rather cheerful tone Obito has.

“So is this how you welcome everyone?” Kisame asks. 

Obito rolls his eye at him. “What would you prefer, ‘Oh hey yeah, if you go against the orders we get you’ll get killed. Welcome to the Akatsuki!’” Sarcasm oozes off the man.

Kisame frowns. “Yeah, actually I think I would.” 

“Whatever, from the sounds of it you’ll be stuck with me for a while. Try to kill me in my sleep and I won’t hesitate to ensure you spend the rest of your life behind bars.” Kisame huffs quietly. “Don’t think I don’t know Hoshigaki.” He sounds bored but Kisame can hear the underlying threat. 

“Don’t know about what?” He asks, although he probably already knows the answer.

“Everything.” Kisame raises an eyebrow questioningly. The fuck was that supposed to mean? The other sighs at Kisame’s reaction. “Hoshigaki Kisame, twenty-seven born in Japan moved to Europe at the age of twenty where you then spent the last seven years moving from city to city, close combat specialist has a preference for swords, knives and blunted objects although noted to be proficient with various types of guns and a half decent sniper, wanted in twenty-four countries, has a ‘confirmed’ kill count of thirty-eight, doesn’t work well with others. I could keep going but I think I have made my point.” A slight silence falls over them. 

Kisame does not look forward to working with this ‘Akatsuki’ but he doesn’t really have a choice. Even so the very concept of it breaks his self imposed rules. He can’t let go of the unease that settles into his gut as he gets introduced to everyone else. After all these aren’t just wannabe hitmen and criminals, they are are people with bounties as large or larger than his. These people are dangerous, and probably wouldn't feel bad about killing him. _These people might even be capable of it_

_Kisame realizes now that he has always been a big fish in a small pond._

 

**The first real friend Kisame ever makes turns out to be Uchiha Obito.**

It happens gradually, somewhere along the way he falls into a hesitant friendship with Obito. He doesn’t mean for it to happen and by the time he realizes what exactly has happened it’s far too late. He tries to push the other man away but he just can’t do it. Once he gets past the indifferent asshole on the surface and reaches a childish sarcastic asshole, Kisame finds that he actually likes Obito. They have similar sense of morbid humor, Obito is a pretty decent drinking partner (even if he does have a habit of starting fights), Obito is quick, witty and definitely not afraid to call Kisame on his shit. There is one other thing, Obito Uchiha is a persistent son of a bitch. That is the main reason he can’t push the other away. 

“Oi, you coming asshole?!” The pounding on his door echoes again, it’s been exactly 2 minutes since Obito knocked politely requesting that he go drinking with everyone to welcome the newest member of the Akatsuki. Kisame huffs, Obito isn’t going to leave him alone, grumbling to himself he finally draws himself up and is about halfway through pulling on his jacket and grabbing his keys when the door to his apartment swings open to reveal Obito and Konan. When Kisame raises an eyebrow Obito smiles a bit sheepishly and tucks away his pick set. “What’s that look for? You weren’t opening the door, you didn’t even say anything, for all we knew someone could have come in and killed you.” He says in the way of an explanation. 

“And that gives you the right to pick the locks and break into my apartment?” Obito smiles and Konan just shrugs. Kisame sighs and shakes his head, he needs better friends.

“Let’s go boys. Everyone else is already waiting on us, you don’t want to start the night on Sasori’s bad side do you?” Both Obito and Kisame shudder at that, but the sly smile playing at Konan’s lips makes Kisame think she may be pleased that he is actually coming out to drink with them. After all the last time he went out with the team was when they had been welcoming him to the Akatsuki, a night that he remembered less than an eighth of (most likely because of the way that Yahiko and Obito kept buying him drinks. Apparently an Akatsuki ‘rule’ states that if a team member buys you a drink you can’t turn it down.) 

“So who are we welcoming anyways?” Kisame asks. He is actually genuinely curious, even if he is reluctant friends with Obito and at least not expecting the rest of the team to kill him at any given moment doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to know what to expect. 

“His name is Hidan, he is going to be partnered with Kakuzu, seeing as his last partner was, well, killed.” Obito says while they head out to Konan’s car. 

“Damn, I almost feel bad for the bastard.” Kisame says.

“Yeah, not everyone can have partners who are as amazing as me.” Obito grins and Kisame and Konan share a look before they both snicker. “Hey! What's that for, I am fucking great!” Obito sounds so sure of himself, Kisame rolls his eyes but in all honesty Obito is the best partner he has had. Although he will never admit it to the man because god knows that the Uchiha doesn’t need anymore boosts to his ego. 

_Sitting squished between a bickering Yahiko and Obito in the backseat of Konan’s car Kisame wonders why he ever distanced himself from making friends in the first place._

 

**Kisame is twenty-nine when he meets the worlds best sniper for the first time.**

To say he is shocked is an understatement. Uchiha Itachi is eighteen, he is still a fucking child in the eyes of the law (given he was no different at that age), a child who can out think him and has aim good enough to get a head shot from halfway across the city. That all seems rational enough, but it’s the reason they are meeting that makes Kisame stand there like a deer in the headlights. 

“Itachi, this is Kisame. From now on he will be your partner, take some time to get to know each others fighting style, don’t kill each other, it’s frowned upon.” Obito has a shit eating grin and Kisame wants to strangle him if only to make him stop talking. “Oh and Kisame, if you let my precious little cousin get hurt I will skin you alive. Or you know we can go through survival training again, or I can partner you up with Hidan, I am sure Kakuzu would be thrilled to have a break.” Kisame looks between the two Uchiha as though he has seen a ghost. 

When he comes to grips with what has just happened and goes to grab Obito to demand answers the older Uchiha darts away with a smirk leaving him alone with Itachi. 

_This short encounter teaches Kisame that he needs to exercise far more caution when dealing with Obito._

 

**Uchiha Itachi is the first person Kisame trusts with his life.**

The first thing that Kisame feels when he blinks his eyes open is pain. Everything just aches. Someone leans over him, he is a bit ashamed of how long it takes him to recognize Itachi. He is pretty sure Itachi is saying something he just doesn’t know what, everything sounds dull, like he is under water. He feels a bit dizzy so he closes his eyes. A moment later there is a sharp feeling on his cheek. 

Prying his eyes open again takes a lot more than it did the first time. He stares up at Itachi and notices that his hair is down, idly Kisame thinks that he likes it that way, he wonders if it is as soft as it looks. His mind derails from there and he starts to lose track of everything. Things slowly get dark, Kisame closes his eyes. He’ll be fine, Itachi is here, he can take a nap.

Waking up is jarring. Everything is too bright, too loud, just too much in general. Everything hurts. He stares at the ceiling for a moment wondering what the fuck happened, it takes a while to piece together the most recent events in his memory. It’s still fuzzy, being caught off guard while Itachi was busy … telling Itachi to finish the job and leave. Itachi coming back to get him. He stumbles over that thought again and again.

Itachi had come back for him. _No one_ had ever come back to drag Kisame out of trouble. _No one_ had ever put themselves in danger for him. Still Itachi had done what no one else had. Somewhere inside Kisame’s chest the heart that he had thought he buried beats a little quicker. 

“Kisame?” He looks toward the direction of the voice and sees Itachi and Obito standing in the doorway of whatever room he is in. Obito looks furious and Itachi has an expression somewhere between relief and joy. Then Kisame has to blink because Itachi is actually _showing_ an emotion.

He opens his mouth to say something but nothing comes out, it takes two or three tries before he can get a out shaky, “Hey.” 

“Hey?! Hey?! That is all you have to say for yourself?! You stupid fuck! Listen here you son of a bitch, I swear to every god that damn well exists I am going to beat the shit out of you when you get out of this bed!” 

Kisame manages to let out a chuckle. “Nice to see you too Obito.” Itachi pulls up a chair on his right side.”Hey Tachi? Why did you come back?” He regrets asking before he even finishes, but he has to know. He needs to be able to understand.

“You would do it for me.” Kisame stares at him, the stupid soft smile, his stupid perfect hair, those damn gorgeous eyes. If it was anyone else he would laugh, but this is Itachi. For Itachi he would, he would go back a thousand times. The realization hits Kisame like a truck. He has a big problem.

_Kisame Hoshigaki would die for Itachi Uchiha._

 

**The first relationship Kisame is ever in that isn’t for a mission starts when he is thirty-two.**

_Being in a relationship is a lot more terrifying than anything else, (especially with Obito’s threats) but it’s okay because he is willing to work for Itachi. That is because Kisame Hoshigaki is in love Itachi Uchiha_


End file.
